Choice
by Little Masa-ouki
Summary: Mysterious forces help Tenchi reflect on his current situation.


Disclaimer: I think you know. It aint mine. But what if it were...  
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Tenchi wiped the sweat from his brow, as he tended the fields. He  
stopped, as a familiar song, sung by a familiar voice, echoed between the  
trees. That voice! It can't be...  
The young lady emerged from the folliage. Her long black hair,  
was tied in a topknot, that flowed down her back. Her skin was tanned by  
the suns golden rays, and her eyes seemed to soak up all the beauty and joy  
of the world and reflect them back. She wore a long black dress. Strapped  
to her back, was a baby boy, who giggled at everything he saw.  
"Oh, hello!" She smiled upon seeing Tenchi.  
"Uh, hi..." Tenchi responded, not believing what he saw.  
"Are these your fields?"  
"Well, my father's actually, but I take care of them."  
"Mind if I help?" She smiled.  
"Well..."  
"Great!" She giggled, as she let her child off her back. "My name's  
Achika. What's yours?"  
"It's..." Tenchi had no idea what to say.  
"Waaah!"  
"Tenchi!" Achika laughed. Tenchi was about to say something,   
when he realized she was talking to her child. "We'll continue our walk in a bit,   
kay?"  
The little boy nodded, and proceeded to chase a butterfly.  
"It look's like we'll be neighbors." She said as she picked up a hoe  
and began working the row next to Tenchi. "My husband just bought some land  
here. He's gonna build our dreamhouse."  
"Husband?"  
"Yes. Nobiyuki. He's such a wonderful guy. He's finalizing the  
plans and getting the construction permits now, he's an architect, but I just had   
to see this place. It's so beautiful."  
"It is very beautiful." Tenchi smiled.  
"Are you married?" She asked, giggling.  
"Uh, no...well, not yet."  
"So there's someone special in your life, isn't there?"  
"Um, actually, two of them. That's what makes it so hard."  
"Oh, quite a ladies man, aren't you?" She laughed, elbowing him in  
the ribs. "Well? Tell me about them. What are their names?"  
"Ryoko and Ayeka."  
"And what are they like?"  
"Ayeka is a wonderful woman. She is kind and graceful, full of  
beauty and pride. She is intelligent, refined and warm. But she's rather full  
of herself, and gets rather dangerous when she doesn't get her way."  
"And Ryoko?"  
"Ryoko is, well, Ryoko. She's rather violent and pushy, but behind  
that, she has a heart that surpasses her beauty. She will leap to anybody's   
defense, even if she doesn't get along with that person. She may be a bit  
overzealous, but her love and spirit will never die."  
"Sounds like a close race. Well, let's try this. Have you thought  
about what your life would be like if you married one or the other?"  
"Hmm." Tenchi thought about it. "With Ryoko, I'm sure my life  
would be full of non-stop action. We'd be constantly doing things. Going to  
carnival's, touring the world, anything we haven't done before. Life with Ayeka  
would be great as well. Her warmth and kindness would give me strength to  
face any problem, and her graceful nature is a beauty I will never tire of."  
"Well, that didn't get us very far. Have you thought about either of  
them as a mother?"  
"I think they both need to learn a lot before they could be a mother."  
"Well, you have a tough choice in front of you."  
"Yeah. But how can I chose. Ayeka looks at me as a life she has  
never before experienced. One where the heart rules over the mind, and beauty  
and life abound. But Ryoko, Ryoko's past is full of darkness and pain, until she  
came into my life, and my family and I treated her with a respect she never had  
before. How can I chose, when whoever I don't chose will have to go back  
to the cold world they lived in before."  
"Will they? If you spend your entire life looking at the ground, and  
then somebody makes you look up and see the light of the sun, will you look  
at the ground again just because they aren't there?"  
"No, but..."  
"Your choice still lies in front of you. But chose for yourself, not  
for them. Chose the life which will make you happy. If they truly love you, then  
they will continue the lives you started for them, whether you're a part of it or  
not. Chose not in haste, but chose quickly, because you never know how long  
your time with them will last..." Young Tenchi's butterfly flew past Tenchi,  
distracting him for an instant. When he looked back, Achika, young Tenchi, and  
their harness were gone.  
Tenchi walked back towards the house in slow motion, his mind  
realing from the conversation he just had, or at least thought he had.  
"Chose not in haste, but chose quickly, because you never know   
how long your time with them will last..." her words echoed through Tenchi's  
mind. But how. How could he hurt one of them like that?  
"If they truly love you, then they will continue the lives you started   
for them, whether you're a part of it or not." But which one?   
Ryoko: A beautiful demon, who's heart and kindess are hidden   
behind a veil of violence from her dark past, in fear that if she let down that  
guard, then the darkness will sieze her yet again.  
Ayeka: A magestic angel, who's gentle spirit tries so hard to break   
past her shell of pride and anger, taught to her by her life, and created by  
herself as the only way she knew to survive the cold reality of the life of a Jurian Princess.  
Tenchi broke out into a run, as he sped towards home. He had made  
his decision.  
He slowly slid the front door open. There she was, sleeping on  
the sofa, waiting for his return. His touch woke her, and she smiled at him.  
"We have to talk, my love..."  
  
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I don't know if this kind of idea has been done before, but I've always thought  
the "decision without a decision" ending was one of the best. If you say "Tenchi  
should marry Ryoko" then you are right. If you say "Ayeka is the only one who  
Tenchi truly belongs with" you're right too. Well, kill me if you want, but send  
all idea's, opinions, etc. to lighthawkwings@masakishrine.com 


End file.
